Girl, 13, dies after school bus shooting

Police: Palm Glades Academy student shot by male student while on way to school

Posted: 5:34 PM, November 20, 2012Updated: 5:34 PM, November 20, 2012

HOMESTEAD, Fla. - A student shot a 13-year-old girl while onboard a school bus in Miami-Dade County, according to police. She died after she was airlifted to Miami Children's Hospital.

The 13-year-old girl, identified only as Lourdes and attended Palm Glades Academy, was shot in the area of SW 296th Street and 137th Avenue about 6:45 a.m.

According to Miami-Dade County police, the student was riding in a private-chartered school bus when the shooting occurred. Detective Alvaro Zabaleta said the girl was airlifted to Miami Children's Hospital, where she died.

The bus was carrying eight students from three different charter schools -- Somerset Academy Silver Palms, Summerville Charter School, and Palm Glades Preparatory Academy. Among those other students was the 7-year-old sister of the shooting victim. That girl attends Summerville Charter School. None of the other students were injured.

"It's traumatic for them for what they had to witness to begin with and now you're going to have to question them to ask them exactly what they saw," said Zabaleta. "You know, it's tragic. Anytime it deals with a child, and then, of course, when we get the phone call that they confirmed that she passed away, it's very sad."

The student who shot the girl was taken into custody. Police said a gun was recovered.

Four Miami-Dade Police officers were at Miami Children's Hospital shortly after the shooting.

The mother of a student who was also riding the bus at the time said the driver had just started the route when the shooting happened.

"I'm lucky that my daughter had a cellphone and I'm able to talk to her and that she's okay and my other daughter's okay and I'm just praying that the other -- whoever it is that went to the hospital, that they're okay," said Maria Ramiro.